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Anam Cara Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church Magazine

Volume 1, Issue 3 Lent 2015

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www.holyinnocents.org

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Photos Taken By: Jon Kownacki

Holy Innocents is a community where the best of the Episcopal tradition is honored and creativity, innovation, diversity, and inclusion are embraced.

We seek to extend the radical hospitality of Christ to all, whether in our buildings or through the web, in the hope that each person’s spiritual journey can flourish from individual faith into communal compassion and action. Home to Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, our campus serves on many levels as an engaging, ever-renewing forum for people of all ages to gather, pray, celebrate, mourn, converse, reflect, learn, and teach.

Membership at Holy Innocents is based on desire. If you are baptized (or desire to be baptized), intend to make this parish your principal community of worship, and you will support the ministries of the parish, you may be recorded as a member of the parish. We offer several opportunities throughout the year when new members are welcomed on Sunday mornings. We also offer opportunities for adult Confirmation, Reception and Reaffirmation.

For more information on membership contact Caroline Fleming.

www.holyinnocents.org 5

from the rectorMrs. GillespieThe Rev. Michael R. Sullivan

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clergy corner3 Simple Questions For LentThe Rev. Joshua Case

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It’s All Greek To Me!The Rev. Buddy Crawford

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You’ve Got Dirt On Your HeadThe Rev. Lisa M. Zaina

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from the altarVigil of The Holy InnocentsThe Rev. Michael R. Sullivan

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Forever BloomingJan Stewart

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From the Chancel RailThe Rev. Buddy Crawford

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pastoral careA Hand Full Of Reasons...Betty Barstow

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children’s ministryWhat Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?Wynn Henderson

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youth ministryTowards Active Lives of FaithThe Rev. Joshua Case

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outreach ministryHorizons At HIECChristine Brodnan

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contact us

news & eventsAnam CaraDon Bell

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Upcoming Events38

Table of Contents

My Inner PilgrimageCarlos Diaz

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from the rector


Our rector has mentioned the following books recently in sermons or commends

them to you for the spiritual journey

RectoR’s Bookshelf

Passion For Pilgrimage

Alan Jones

Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics,

1965-1999Paul McCartney

Red Letter Revolution: What If Jesus Really

Meant What He Said?

Shane ClaiborneTony Campolo

The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical

Shane Claiborne

Second Grade. Mrs. Gillespie.

She was a phenomenal teacher. Love and compassion were her constant com-panions in our classroom, and honestly, I think I learned more about life from her than I did about numbers or reading. It wasn’t that she didn’t teach well; she most certainly did as she laid the foundation for an excellent education. It’s just that looking back all these years later, I realize the moral fiber and model of living she gave us. Such lessons never leave us.

In the corner of her classroom chalkboard, on the far right side, she had what she called the “Good Citizens Chart.” Every month it changed. Leaves in Octo-ber. Candles in December. Snowflakes in January. You get the picture. Each of her students had one of these construction paper cut outs, our names written in perfect form, evidence of her exceptional penmanship. If you were a “Good Citizen” all month, you were able to redeem your leaf, candle, or snowflake for a variety of activities one afternoon. Extra books from a special trip to the library, complete with snacks, or a special recess or trip to the fire station were offered. Sometimes, she even brought homemade cookies and cakes.

But if you received a mark, a warning, you knew that just one more mark on the chart would mean an “X,” and thus the loss of the privilege. Bad behavior translated into no reward.

By now I’ve long forgotten what happened, but one month, March I faintly recall, I received not one, but two marks. I was not a Good Citizen. And on the day that all the other children went outside to play, I sat alone in the room. It was the first time I realized that Mrs. Gillespie never went with the other children; she always remained behind with those who did not enjoy the treat.

Sitting there, I began to cry. I had failed. But just as I thought she would scold me, she came over and got down on her knee beside my desk. She placed her hand upon my shoulder, and looking deeply into my eyes, she told me that she knew I was good, that I had just made a mistake and that she believed in me.

My dear family, Lent is not about earning a special favor from God. It is not about beating ourselves up because we failed, because a mark has been placed by our name. It is not 40 days of weeping because we are wretched and mis-erable.

Lent is about clearing the threshing floor of our lives, getting rid of all the chaff that we accumulate, and letting God help us clean things up so we can be the people we are called to be through Christ. It is about our goodness, our Lord getting down on his knees, by our sides, and reminding us that new life can come.

I think of Mrs. Gillespie often. I give thanks for her. And I remember that fateful day when she stayed by my side.

What an image of grace and mercy. What a gift.

Blessings, good people, during this holy Lent.

Mrs. GillespieThe Rev. Michael R. SullivanRector of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church

The Divine Hours

Phyliss Tickle

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During a recent ski trip I paused one evening to engage a group of 30+ students in reflection on three simple questions.

Question One: What surprised you today?

Question Two: How was your life a prayer today? Or, put another way, when/how did you pray today?

Question Three: If you were to rewind your day and re-watch it where did you see love today? And, maybe a lit-tle harder, where did you see love missing or a place that you believe a simple act of kindness or a prayer may have changed things?

As someone who has worked with students for almost 15 years, my sense is that these questions are more than just ones to ask young people on a retreat. They are everyday life kind of questions. My sense is that if these questions were to become part of the daily lexicon of most Christians, not only would our experience of God and goodness in the world change but maybe, just maybe, we would become powerful and reflective forces for the gospel.

Lent provides us with a once a year opportunity to slow things down and to take up a different set of rhythms and patterns. These rhythms and patterns, languages and pos-

tures, though often embraced as being penitential are often far from it. More than a chance to simply reflect on how life has been, Lent provides us with opportunities to do some-thing other than that which is “daily” in the hope that by opening ourselves newly to God we may experience God’s presence newly in our lives as we look towards Easter.

Are you looking for a Lenten family practice? May I sug-gest these three questions to you for your use over dinner or as an insert to your bedtime routine? Try it. Use them. Ask them. Encourage everyone in your family to think and reflect on them as they go through their normal day. Who knows, your young people may begin to see and act in the world differently and you may find yourself doing just the same.

The young people of Holy Innocents constantly remind me that simply holding open the space for the question of God provides a unique and daring context to discern a new and powerful answer. This Lent give yourself room to ask ques-tions newly, to change your surroundings, to be surprised, and yes, even if you dare, to search out those places where love and prayer could change things. After all, what is life without love? What is love without prayer?

Three Simple Questions for LentThe Rev. Joshua CaseAssistant to the Rector for Formation

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During my move to Holy Innocents I have packed and unpacked boxes of textbooks, journals, and seminary class notes. If you have been to my office you will see that this is still a work in progress. Recently, I came across a folder with notes from my class

in New Testament Greek. Thumbing through the file I found the notes on the translation of Romans 3:22. The NRSV renders this verse:

“…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe…”

Biblical scholars debate the different ways of translating Paul’s sentence. In Greek, we can read it as, “God’s righteousness is through faith in Jesus Christ” or “God’s righteousness is through the faith of Jesus Christ.” The different translations are based on choosing to use an objective genitive or a subjective genitive – it’s Greek to me!

The nuances of biblical Greek make translating complicated; it requires careful discern-ment when attempting to capture the author’s original meaning. But thoughtful scholarship provides us with the most accurate Bibles for our private devotions and public worship. Thinking about this theologically we find that the scholar’s work is critical in helping us understand how we relate to God. The debate around how to translate this verse raises questions about our justification and redemption – is it all about what Jesus does for us, or do we play a part in our reconciliation by choosing to have faith in Jesus?

Reflecting on this passage I wonder if we might approach the text from a both/and, instead of an either/or position. Jesus shows us his faith by doing the will of God, becoming an ex-ample of how we might live fully into the mission of participating in God’s redemptive love. The gospels reveal Jesus’ interaction with his disciples and followers in their search to know God. These stories shape our thoughts and imaginations as we relate to God and the rest of the human family.

But knowing about Jesus is not enough; the gospel proclamation calls us to choose to have faith in Jesus’ faithfulness. To believe that his life is more than an example and that his faithfulness has merit for us. Jesus, the God-man, comes in the form of a servant, risking everything – his very life – to reveal God’s desire to be with us. Trusting in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection impacts every choice we make throughout our lives. Not only the “big” ethical decisions like theft, adultery, hatred, and murder, but also in how we maintain our relationships with family, friends, and neighbors – how we love and serve in his name.

Jesus is our example to follow, but we still have choices to make. Through the waters of baptism we are recreated, filled with the Holy Spirit to participate in the redemption of the world. Spending time with God in prayer enriches our faith and trust. Participating in the sacraments nourishes us to do the work God has given us to do. And joining in outreach and evangelism allows us to fulfill our baptismal covenant by seeking and serving Christ in others in concrete, practical ways. The more we can embrace these holy habits the more we imitate Jesus and are transformed into his likeness. And the faith and faithfulness of Jesus and our faith in Jesus is where we begin.

May your Lenten practices lead you on a faith-filled journey to Easter Resurrection.

The Rev. Buddy CrawfordSenior Associate Rector

“It’s All Greek To Me”

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“Hey, you have some dirt on your head.”

I attended Catholic grade school, high school, and college. So it was a surprise when I heard this comment for the first time when I was living and working in Washington, DC. I always struggled with how to handle this because I didn’t want to embarrass

anyone. However, I always was a little shocked to learn that people weren’t aware of this particular practice.

But what I learned was that people weren’t unaware of Ash Wednesday, but that they were unaware that it was Ash Wednesday. Their lives were not marked by the cycle of Christ’s life on earth, his incarnation and his redemptive act.

The imposition of ashes has its roots in the Old Testament. The Bible makes use of ashes in both narrative and prophetic descriptions of those subject to God’s wrath. It finds its roots in the ancient military practice of burning enemy cities, thus associating ashes with death.

We put ashes on our heads as a sign of repentance. It is a reminder to turn away from sin and toward God. The ashes become an outward sign of that decision. They are also emblem-atic that we turn away from our more worldly preoccupations and try to live a deeper life in Christ, at least for forty days or so.

It is also a reminder that we were once dust, and to dust we shall return. We find in Genesis at 2:7 “then Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nos-trils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.”

Just as God breathed life into Adam, the presence of God in our lives stirs new life in us. Lent is a time of rebirth for us, a willingness to grow in ways that are not of this world, but are of another world. This is a focus during this season of rebirth, derived from “Lencten”, meaning spring.

Thus, we must remember that we aren’t simply repentant during this time, but that we are stretching and growing in ways that will enhance our lives, as well as those around us. So, when I think of Ash Wednesday, I think of each and every one of us stepping out of our old selves, into a new and stronger self. I’m a fan of the Harry Potter series. Professor Albus Dumbledore founded the Order of the Phoenix to fight Lord Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters. This sets up the battle between good and evil. This battle is as exhausting as it is classic. I particularly like JK Rowling’s description of the approach of the phoenix’s Burning Day. “As the phoenixes approach their Burning Day, they resemble a half-plucked turkey. Also, their eyes become dull, their feathers start to fall out, and it begins to make gagging noises.” Those physical descriptions, as unsavory as they sound, are very descriptive of the spiritual and emotional lethargy I can feel when my life is bound in, and by, something other than God. The absence of good is bad. The absence of God is overwhelming.

So, that isn’t just dirt on my head. It is my attempt to renew myself like the phoenix rising from the ashes, from death into life.

The Rev. Lisa M. ZainaVicar of Holy Innocents

“You’ve Got Dirt On Your Head”

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Sundays February 22 - March 15 The Rev. Buddy Crawford & The Rev. Lisa M. Zaina Episcopal Space, Vessels,Vestments, and Spirituality Join the Rev. Buddy Crawford, and The Rev. Lisa M. Zaina in a discussion of the history and development of sacred space and the holy things we use and wear in our worship. We will begin in Inglett Hall and on occasion make our discussions mobile so that we can explore the things we have at Holy Innocents.

Sundays, February 22 - March 15 The Rev. Michael R. Sullivan God in the Wilderness: Meditating on the Poetry of Mary Oliver If you’ve been around the parish any time at all, you know our Rector loves the poetry of Mary Oliver. Join him this Lent in the Parlor to read and meditate on the words of this great poet. Not a lecture but a discussion and time of contem-plation based upon the Lectio Divinia method, join for one or more Sundays.

Sunday, March 22 The Rev. Michael R. Sullivan, The Rev. Lisa M. Zaina, The Rev. Buddy Crawford & The Rev. Joshua Case. Great Fifty Days of Easter

Join us for a special Faith Forum where we will explore how our parish will mark the the Great Fifty Days of Easter. This Faith Forum will include testimo-nies from our historic outreach partners, promotions for the Great Fifty Days and opportunities for you to volunteer to serve. Mark your calendar and plan to attend!

lenten faith foRum schedule

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More than 500 children who died in Georgia in 2014 because of abuse, neglect, and preventable accidents will be remem-

bered during a prayer vigil in their memory at Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. The vigil, sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta’s Commission on Human Trafficking, begins at sun-down on Saturday, Feb. 28 and continues throughout the night, is a call for Georgia to better protect its children.

“The horrific tragedy of children lost to violence is too often over-looked,” said The Rev. Michael Sullivan, Rector of Holy Inno-cents’. “When mass violence demands our attention, we cry for the victims, but unfortunately, the daily deaths of children due to unexpected causes, abuse, and neglect does not elicit the same response. There is deafening silence about the issues surrounding these deaths.”

Volunteers will read the names of over 500 children whose deaths in the last year in our state were preventable. The prayer vigil will end at 8:00 am on Sunday, March 1. The Parish Choir will sing Evensong at 4 pm after which The Rt. Rev. Robert Wright, Bishop of Atlanta, will preach at a Requiem at 4:00pm that will conclude the memorial event. This is the fifth annual memorial held at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church, 805 Mount Vernon Highway NW, in Sandy Springs. The service is open to all members of the community. You can voluteer to pray for The Holy Innocents of our Day at the Vigil online at the Holy Innocents’ website. We also welcome you to join us for an Organ recital at 3:15pm prior to the Requim Mass.

In the United States, an average of four children die each day from child abuse and neglect and 80% of those victims are chil-dren younger than four years of age.

“As a parish that is named for the innocent children killed by King Herod’s attempt to rid the world of Jesus, we must not look away,” Sullivan emphasized. “Remembering all these Holy Inno-cents of Our Day through a prayer vigil and Requiem Mass is but one way that we can draw attention to the problems that result in the unnecessary deaths of children.”

The Diocese of Atlanta’s Human Trafficking Commission is tasked with calling attention to the plight of the hundreds of chil-dren exploited in our midst. The dark side of our metropolitan area, the reality is that Atlanta is toward the top of the list of child trafficking in the United States. The vast majority of these chil-dren do not live to see their twentieth birthday. “This evil against our children must end,” Wright said. “Until we see all children as our own, given into our care, trafficking will still find its way into our city and state. United, we must stand against those who exploit and kill our children for economic gain.”

Donations and offerings received during the service will be desig-nated to end violence and trafficking.

The facing icon for Holy Innocents’ was specifically written for Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church by Suzanne Zoole, iconogra-pher. The icon features a village scene where the doors of the homes are open but they are dark inside, as if after a massacre. Instead of martyred children lying on the ground of the village square, the innocent children rest in the arms of angels rising heavenward. The heavens are filled with golden stars indicat-ing the resurrected life. The center of the icon depicts Jesus with Mary and Joseph escaping to Egypt.

5th Annual Requiem For Georgia Children Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 4:00pm

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The Flower Guild of Holy Innocent’s Church is one of the many examples of a small community within the larger body of the church. It is a place where talent, creativity, and experience with flowers is not a requirement. It is an opportunity

to join with other parishioners in learning how to use God’s beautiful creations to pro-claim His glory. When I joined the group many, many years ago I knew very little about flowers and nothing about the mechanics needed to create some of the amazing arrange-ments you have seen. I just loved flowers! And this group welcomes anyone who wants to participate. I was truly welcomed by guild members with open arms, warm smiles, and a willingness to share their amazing knowledge of how to make flowers work.

Major feasts of the church such as All Saints’ Day, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and Baptisms require planning and many, many hands to pull everything together, not only in the Nave and Christ Chapel, but everywhere we gather as a community to celebrate these special occasions. Our holy days provide opportunities for the entire guild to gather together; often enjoying meals and sharing stories of our lives with each other. During these special times of the year, the guild also creates small arrangements to be delivered to parishioners who may not be able to attend worship. This is an amazing way to touch the lives of, and be involved with, members of the parish who need a little piece of Holy Innocents in their home.

Following my time as chair of the guild, I continued to be the primary flower arranger for funerals held at the church. This was an amazing time for reflection as special care is taken to arrange for families and friends grieving the loss of loved ones. Typically I found myself preparing and arranging the flowers alone because planning the timing of funerals is often when you least expect it. Although I love arranging with other guild members, I found cherishing those times alone in God’s presence an amazingly peaceful experience. It also gave me time to reflect on God’s amazing creation and the way it inspired me to create beautiful arrangements – a result that was often surprising and the joint work of my hands and the Holy Spirit. Placing flowers in the unexpected places for families and friends to enjoy, that hopefully brought a small amount of joy during their time of sorrow, brought me great joy. This opportunity was truly a blessing that I will always cherish.

The guild truly is an amazing place to pray, love and serve Christ at Holy Innocents. We support each other in prayer and presence, it is a place where friendships are grown and Christ is celebrated in all we do. If you are looking for a place to find Christ and serve Him, this is one of those places that request only your presence, no experience required. You will find joy, laughter, and an amazing small community within the parish. I am living proof of this!

Jan StewartFlower Guild

“Forever Blooming”

www.holyinnocents.org 19from the altar

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FRIENDS OF MUSIC CONCERT

FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2014 AT 8:00 PM

NORTHSTARPERCUSSION


The clergy of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church will be available to hear confes-sions following the Good Friday Litur-gy from 1:30pm - 3:00pm on April 3.

There will be four stations located within the church for the confessions.

Register online at the Holy Innocents’ Website. Be sure to register early as there are limited 15 minute timeframes available.

Rite of Reconciliation Friday, April 31:30pm - 3:00pm

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The Rev. Buddy CrawfordAssociate Rector

From the Chancel Rail

Why ashes on Ash Wednesday?Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures ashes are used as a symbol of sorrow and repentance. Christianity continued using ashes as a symbol of repentance from as early as the 2nd and 3rd centuries. In Anglican/Episcopal churches the imposition of ashes is an optional rite, but since the liturgical renewal in the 1960’s it is common in most of our parishes. The ashes are made from the burned palms that were distributed on the previous Palm Sunday. The words used at the imposition of ashes, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return,” is a reference from Genesis where Adam and Eve are reminded of their mortality. On Ash Wednesday the church invites us to participate in a season of pondering our mortality and to find in God’s forgiveness new life as we await the Paschal Mystery – Jesus’ resurrection in which we find immortality.


My family and I first came to Holy Innocents on Eas-ter Sunday 1993. Amid the overflow congregation, the incense, the very special care Holy Innocents takes with liturgy, the joy of Easter, and the music, especially the music, we had found our church home. By June I was singing with the summer choir, and by September I had made the commitment to join.

Thus began a very special inner pilgrimage and healing journey for me. The five years before coming to Atlanta had been very tough. Five years of long daily commutes, lots of travel taking me away from home for weeks at a time, and a lot of uncertainty had me feeling very stressed. My new job in Atlanta was equally demanding, and yet during that first year Thursday rehearsals and Sunday worship became the therapy sessions that had me feeling like a whole person again.

After a year of engaging through the choir with the full cycle of the liturgical year; of the discipline of learning music that becomes beautiful as we engage with it; and of feeling welcomed by the very special community of peo-ple that is the Holy Innocents’ choir; I sat in wonder as we sang a concert at Piccolo Spoleto festival in Charles-ton, SC. It dawned on me that I had come to a wonder-ful place, and the feeling of being especially blessed was overwhelming.

My Inner PilgrimageThe Holy Innocents’ Parish Choir is not your run-of-the-mill church choir. Over the course of the year we rehearse for and participate in around seventy liturgies and con-certs; and we sing over a hundred anthems, more Psalms than there are weeks in the year, several evensongs, a con-cert or two, requiem masses, resurrection liturgies and special music for the major feasts of the church. The sheet music library we sing from approaches 1,500 active ti-tles. Over time, every choir member learns to speak this beautiful new language and becomes conversant with its literature.

Engaging with all of that music as consistently as we do provides many opportunities for epiphanies large and small, and creates bonds of friendship and spiritual con-nection that nourish and support us. I hope the entire Holy Innocents’ community can feel nourished and sup-ported by our ministry as well.

Carlos DiazChoir Member

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holy Week & easteRtide Service Schedule

Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, March 298:00am - Liturgy of the Palms and the Holy Eucharist9:00am - Liturgy of the Palms and the Holy Eucharist

11:15am - Liturgy of the Palms and the Holy Eucharist6:00pm - Liturgy of the Palms and the Holy Eucharist

Daily Eucharist, March 30 - April 1 7:30am - Holy Eucharist (Christ Chapel)6:00pm - Holy Eucharist (Christ Chapel)

Maundy Thursday, April 27:30pm - Proper Liturgy with Foot Washing and Stripping of the Altar

9:00pm - Vigil of the Blessed Sacrament (Christ Chapel) Good Friday, April 3

12:00pm - Proper Liturgy with Reserved Sacrament and Veneration of the Cross6:00pm - Stations of the Cross for Families (Narthex)

7:00pm - Stations of the Cross (Narthex)

The Great Vigil of Easter, April 48:30pm - Solemn Holy Eucharist

The Sunday of the Resurrection, Easter Day, April 5 7:30am - Holy Eucharist (Christ Chapel)9:15am - Festival Holy Eucharist (Nave)

11:15am - Festival Holy Eucharist (Nave)6:00pm - Celtic Eucharist (Christ Chapel)

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This Lent, join us in Christ Chapel on Wednesday evenings for a series featuring Atlanta’s best known preachers. A simple service of prayer and music will begin at 6:30pm and end no later than 7:00pm.

Add this important time together to your Lenten practice and let God expand the boundaries of your heart.

lenten PReaching seRies

Wednesdays 6:30pm Christ Chapel folloWing the PaRson’s taBle


February 25 The Rev. Zachary Thompson Rector, Church of Our Saviour

The Rev. Zachary Thompson went to Church of Our Saviour in April of 2014 to serve as the Rector of the parish. Before Church of Our Saviour he served as Assistant Rector here at Holy Innocents in Atlanta.

March 4 The Rev. Kim Jackson Diocesan Chaplain to Spelman and Morehouse Colleges

The Reverend Kim Jackson, a native of Spartanburg, SC, is a gradu-ate of Furman University, Greenville, SC, where she majored in his-tory. Since being ordained to the priesthood in 2010, Kim has served as the Episcopal Chaplain to the Atlanta University Center. As a part of her chaplaincy efforts, Jackson helps mobilize students and staff around issues of social justice. She continues this work while taking on a new position as Vicar-in-the-Interim at Emmaus House Chapel.

March 11 Rabbi Brad Levenburg Associate Rabbi, Temple Sinai Rabbi Levenberg joined Temple Sinai as Assistant Rabbi in 2006 and has been serving as Associate Rabbi since 2009. In addition to his work with Temple Sinai, Rabbi Levenberg currently sits on the Executive Board of FAMA (Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta), serves as President of Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb, and is serving as co-chair of the film se-lection committee for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

March 18 The Rev. Ricardo Bailey Assisting Priest, Cathedral of St. Philip Ordained into the Roman Catholic Church a decade ago, The Rev. Ricardo Bailey was an active member of St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, Canton, and is a teacher of New Testament Studies at the Westminster Schools. He is well-known for his drive time social commentary as Father Crunk on Q100 Radio’s The Bert Show, as well as for being a dynamic and motivational speaker.

March 25 The Rev. Donna Mote Chaplain, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport The Rev. Donna Mote currently serves as the Episcopal Chaplain to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and as priest as-sociate at the Episcopal Church of St John. Mote’s scholarly train-ing and work are in comparative religions, visual and cultural an-thropology, and cultural history as well as Christian theology with particular emphases upon Japanese religions and evangelical Protes-tantism(s) in the US South.

Guest Preachers

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When I was in Sunday school at The Church of the Ascension, Hagood, South Carolina, we learned to remember the forms of prayer on the fingers of

one hand. It was a handy mnemonic: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Petition and Intercession. We come into God’s presence acknowledging His grace and glory; we acknowl-edge, too, that we have fallen short of being the creatures He created us to be; and we thank God for our many gifts and blessings. Only after those three forms of prayer do we make supplication for others and ourselves. (I must confess, however, that my mother would have strongly suggested that I put the intercessory prayer before the prayer of petition… just as she admonished me to say Sammy and me, rather than me and Sammy. We won’t go into pronoun case here!)

When I came to Holy Innocents, the Rector asked me to at-tend the Monday meetings of the Intercessory Prayer Group. They had requested a clergy presence and I was the closest thing to a collar they could come up with, many of the or-dained folks having Monday as their day off. So the little group of intercessory pray-ers were stuck with me. I discov-ered that the group had been founded by a lady named Lib Harward, since departed. But God bless her, her legacy lives. I have little knowledge of how she came to found it, though

it seems to have been an outgrowth of a Daughters of the King chapter that once existed at Holy Innocents, the last vestige of that outpouring of faith. That’s one reason for its existence: I strongly believe that there is a continuum of faith that stretches between both sides of life…here and hereafter.

At that time, the group was led by Fran Parr, who was dedi-cated to its well-being and faithful about nurturing the partic-ipants, a faithfulness that inspired me to stay when Fran went to the other end of the continuum. Of the folks who were there when I began, only Ann Smith remains… But we have been joined by eight others, two of them men. We are finding that there is among us a spirit of community and a deep con-cern for those we pray for. We are dedicated to praying daily for any requests, and to a strict adherence to confidentiality. Please know that we continue to pray faithfully until we are told otherwise, and we encourage updates on the condition of the person for whom prayers are requested.

That adds up to five reasons: continuing faith, a community among those who pray, a Christ-centered concern for those who are prayed for, and a dedication to the utmost confiden-tiality. That’s only four reasons, you say? Well, consider the main one: See St. James (above).

A Handful of Reasons… for the Intercessory Prayer

pastoral care

Betty BarstowIntercessory Prayer Member

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well:… Therefore pray for each other so that you may be healed.

James 5: 15 - 16


SHROVE TUESDAY PANCAKE COOKOFF

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 17 at 6:00pm

Make your online registration or buy tickets from the Youth during the Annual Parish Retreat. If you are interested in chef-ing a team, please contact Emily Bartlett at the Church office.

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Over the years for me it has changed frequently and continually. When I was young I wanted to be a princess with a flowy pink dress, tiara and a magic

wand. Then for a time I wanted to be castaway on a desert island or kidnapped to a life of adventure by a notorious band of pirates – too many Harlequin novels! For a time I wanted to live in the forest with the animals where it would be all birds singing, deer coming to visit and wolves curled up at the bottom of the bed. There would be no snakes or mosquitos or fleas or flies or any types of unpleasantness. Then after reading Jack London I was off to Alaska to live with the Eskimos. What was I thinking - way too much cold, snow and ice!

When I was spending so much time on horses and at the barn I decided that I was called to be a jockey. Unfortu-nately for that dream I kept growing until even I realized that I was about a foot taller than I needed to be for that profession. In the summer I was back to the sea and dreamed of being a ship’s captain, and was even working towards getting my captain’s license.

The return of college knocked some sense back into me and I went on to become an English major. I had no intention of being a teacher, it was just what I loved.

After college my reinventions kept coming. I went to New Mexico to work at a summer camp and stayed in Taos for another 2 ½ years until my father told me that I had to drop into life before I dropped out of it.

I came back to Atlanta and spent the next several years in the public relations world where I enjoyed all of the writ-ing and campaign work. I worked at Macy’s one Christmas and sold so many handbags and scarves that they asked me to join their management team. I discovered that I enjoyed sales and building relationships with people but not neces-sarily bossing them around – even if I am the oldest of four kids. I worked for several years as a professional recruiter

and then went on to develop a customer service program for Perimeter Mall. When that program finished I landed down at the gift mart where I spent many years in showroom man-agement and as a road rep. During this time I became a mom and began spending much more time at church. I was asked to be the assistant in children’s ministries and everything that I do today has evolved from that.

Believe it or not, and in spite of the long list above, there are many jobs, adventures and tangents that I did not list. Where some would call me feckless, I prefer to think of it as interesting. And at least there are constants in that long list. I realize that I enjoy writing, selling, teaching, building relationships, people, children and challenges. (My grand-mother used to say that as a child I was capable of leading or ending the Bataan Death March – still not sure if that was meant as a compliment.)

During Lent we are called to be quiet and contemplative. It is meant to be a time of reflection and growth. It is a good time to ponder what it is that God is calling us to become, or what it is that we want to become. It is a time to try to make sense of our lives.

Some people are blessed with knowing what they want to do at an early age. Others of us have to muddle through for a while and try on many different hats until we find the right fit. We start off as lawyers, politicians or business people and wind up as priests. We come from the world of selling baubles and gifts and wind up in children’s ministry.

Take some time this Lenten season to contemplate what you want to be and where you want to go. Let today be the day you give up who you’ve been for who you can become.

As e.e. cummings said “It takes courage to grow up and be-come who you really are.” Lent is the time we can begin.

What do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

Wynn HendersonDirector of Children’s Ministry

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At Holy Innocents we have been experiencing a revival. Young people are talking about God, their faith, and their journey out loud, in the streets, and with their friends.

Though a Lenten issue of Anam Cara may seem a weird time to talk about revival, it is precisely because the habits of our youth work and ministry are beginning to yield gospel results that it is precisely the moment to talk about it! After all, what better time to think on revival than that season when we take on new practices while awaiting resurrection? Or is it revolution?

As a youthwork and ministry team our prayer is to be a radical-ly inclusive community where young people come to a Christian understanding of themselves and God in the world. Over the past year and a half we have practiced creating just this kind of culture by engaging young people in honest relationships with one another and with our adult volunteers. We have worked hard at curating events that promote prayer and reflection, story-telling and wit-ness, healing and justice, and creativity and fun. These five habits (honest relationships, prayer and reflection, story-telling and wit-ness, healing and justice, and creativity and fun) have called all of us deeper into our lives of faith and community.

Recently while on our #prayloveski retreat, we were having a dis-cussion about where we had experienced God in our lives. While many of the students had good examples of places where they thought God was both present and absent, one student’s comment really stands out.

“You know, I really experience God the most when I am running. When I am running and when I am helping people. When I am running it is like I can sense that God is close to me in my mind and in my legs. It’s like God is pushing me on. But then, when I am helping people, it is like I can sense God in my hands and in my heart. I really don’t know of other times that I experience God, but I know I experience him then. When I am in motion and when I am helping others.”

The truth of the matter is, God is always around. And the pesky Holy Spirit is always provoking us to new life. The practices and habits, rhythms and languages of our faith and life gift us with onramps to discovery and participation with God. While motion, service, and kindness are the ways that this student most connected with God in her life, all the seasons of our liturgical calendar pro-vide us with new ways of exploring life with God and another. This lent, make it your purpose to pay attention to what God is up to in your life. Invite God to be explicit with you. Invite others in your spiritual community to honest relationships, prayer and reflection, story-telling and witness, healing and justice, and creativity and fun. Who knows, maybe by the time Easter arrives it will feel like revival is happening all around. And who knows, maybe this year, Christ will shine more brightly than ever and our lives of faith will find new activity in the Spirit of the Risen Lord. Amen.

Towards Active Lives of FaithThe Rev. Joshua CaseAssistant to the Rector for Formation

www.holyinnocents.org 33youth ministry

Anam Cara34outreach ministry


Horizons is a national network of transformational, community-centered education programs offering economically disadvantaged children an exciting

learning environment outside of the traditional school year. In 1999, Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church and Holy Inno-cents' Episcopal School formed a partnership to bring the Connecticut-based program to Atlanta with the goal of pro-viding meaningful academic and recreational programs to young students whose families would otherwise not be able to afford them. Now, the flagship HIES site partners with Horizons sites on the campuses of Georgia Tech, Woodward Academy, Clark Atlanta University, and Atlanta Technical College. The new site director, Christine Brodnan, provides us with an update on the Horizons program and ways the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church can get involved.

Horizons at HIES seeks to close the opportunity gap in San-dy Springs and put children on a path to read proficiently by the end of third grade, graduate from high school, receive higher education, and become globally competitive citizens. The first major milestone for any child’s success in education is the ability to read by third grade. Unfortunately, by the time economically disadvantaged children reach third grade, they are often two school years behind in critical reading skills because of missed opportunities during the summer months. This is especially important because if children ar-en’t reading proficiently by the time they finish third grade, they are four times more likely to drop out of high school. The dropout crisis negatively impacts our community, both economically and socially. Right now, 65% of Georgia’s third-graders cannot read proficiently, and Horizons exists to reverse that trend. In fact, Horizons has results demon-strating that our students return to school each fall ahead of their peers.

While each Horizons program is unique, all sites foster a community that nurtures curiosity and love of learning in every child. Horizons blends academics with arts, sports,

cultural enrichment, and confidence-building challenges, particularly swimming, throughout our six-week summer program, housed in the Lower School of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. Returning to the program year after year, Horizons students build lasting relationships with their teachers and peers, learn to tackle new challenges, and de-velop life skills essential for success.

Horizons at HIES supports of the feeder schools of the Riverwood International Charter School cluster, with most of our students matriculating from High Point Elementa-ry School, Lake Forest Elementary School, and Ridgeview Middle School. In the summer of 2014 we served 116 stu-dents in Kindergarten through 8th grade and over 90% of them are eligible for free/reduced school lunch program un-der Title I.

We have launched a Global Academy in an effort to expand students’ worldviews and awareness of collegiate and profes-sional opportunities. One of the highlights of last summer’s Global Academy was HIEC parishioner Alice Ball joining our fourth graders in a project to create paper cranes; the students read a book about a Japanese child with leukemia who made paper cranes and were so inspired by this story that they worked with Alice to make their own, sold them project to donors, and donated their profits to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Scottish Rite.

Horizons at HIES is grateful for the support of the entire Holy Innocents’ community as we continue to fulfill our mis-sion of supporting all children having access to high-quality educational opportunities year-round, regardless of their race, gender, and family economic status. We are looking for volunteers to enhance our 2015 summer program – if you are interested in getting involved please reach out via email at [email protected] or by phone at 404-303-2150 ext. 323.

Horizons @ HIEC Christine BrodnanHorizons Site Director

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news and events


For nearly 80 years, God's Holy Church has been: due north on my life journey; teacher, mentor and guide; source of incredible beauty in corporate worship; a loving parent in times of failure and hurt; and a source of friends and direction to ways of ser-vice.

For little children, the Church is Jesus bidding them to come and learn at his feet. In breaking of bread together, it is Jesus and his disciples experiencing community. The Church provides a clearer message than perhaps one ever receives in private devo-tions. It offers a channel for God's people to help those in need. No offence to governmental and social institutions that do this same, help from the Church just comes with the bonus of bless-ings from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Understanding that I must initiate the process, the Church offers a way for me daily to get my personal life back on track. The process of confession and repentance unleashes the power of the Trinity to actually change life. The liturgical calendar offers a God centered structure to the seasons and the year.

When we reach the age of reason, we are able to make choices, the most important of all is where we put our trust. As a young man, I chose to place it in the Church. As an old man, I look back and know I made the correct one.

Holy Innocents’ Anam Cara Don Bell

Our Lenten Anam Cara

Anam Cara means “soul friend,” so each month we’ll present a parish voice that captures the soul and friendship of our beloved community. This column is a great chance for us to hear how Holy Innocents helps us be our best selves,

the people God created us to be.

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Becca Stevens is one of the premier preachers and speakers in the United States proclaiming love as the most powerful force for social change. She is an Episcopal priest and founder of Magdalene, res-idential communities of women who have survived prostitution, trafficking and addiction. She found-ed Thistle Farms in 2001 which currently employs nearly 50 residents and graduates, and houses a nat-ural body care line, a paper and sewing studio and the Thistle Stop Café. She demonstrates that love is good business and raises millions of dollars annually for the organizations she runs. She is a prolific writ-er and has been featured in the New York Times and on ABC World News, NPR, PBS, CNN, and Huffington Post and named by the White House. as one of 15 Champions of Change for violence against women in 2011. She was recently induct-ed into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame and conferred an honorary doctorate by The Univer-sity of the South. In fall 2014, Stevens launched the first Thistle Farms national conference welcoming attendees from over 30 states. Her newest book, “The Way of Tea & Justice: Rescuing the World’s Fa-vorite Beverage from its Violent History,” will re-lease in 2014.

3 r d A n n u a l

JohnsonLecture

SAVE THE DATESunday, March 22The Rev. Becca Stephens

6:30 Gathering, Bishop Commons 7:00 Dinner and Lecture, Inglett Hall


SAVE THE DATE

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

The fun begins June 8th and ends June 12th, from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm each day at Holy Innocents Episcopal Church.

The adventure includes music that will wow your ears, interactive Bible fun, super science, cool crafts, hands-on mission work, delicious snacks, great games and more. To be a part

of all the excitement,please sign up your children and contact Wynn Henderson to volunteer.

We will be putting the sign up form on line within the next week, so look for it on the website.

Anam Cara40

Monday, February 16President’s Day Church Office Closed

Tuesday, February 17St. Monica’s Guild10:30 am - 12:30 pmShove Tuesday Pancake Cookoff and Liturgy6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Wednesday, February 18Ash Wednesday

7:00 am 12:15 pm 6:00 pm 7:30 pm

Service Times

Thursday, February 19Women’s Time Out 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Friday, February 20Men of HI Third Friday7:00 am - 8:15 amFriday Night Crowd6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Saturday, February 21Flower Guild Workshop9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Tuesday, February 2412 Steps For the Rest of Us6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Wednesday, February 25Lenten Preaching Series6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Satuday, February 28Prayer Vigil6:30 pm - 8:00 am

Sunday, March 1Organ Recital3:15 pm - 3:50 pm

Tuesday, March 3Prayer Shawl6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Wednesday, March 4Lenten Preaching Series6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Thursday, March 7Saturday Brewing 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Monday, March 9Reading Connections6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Tuesday, March 1020/30s Something Social6:45 pm - 8:30 pm


Tuesday, March 17Lessons & Lager6:45 pm - 8:30 pm

Upcoming Events

Thursday, March 5Ventulett Gallery Opening 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Evensong & Requiem Mass4:00 pm - 5:15 pm



Thursday, March 19Women’s Time Out7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Friday, March 20Men of HI Third Friday7:00 am - 8:15 amFriday Night Crowd6:00 pm - 8:00 pmFriends of Music Concert8:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Sunday, March 22The Johnson Lecture6:30 pm - 9:00 pm


Sunday, March 29Palm Sunday

8:00 am 9:00 am11:15 am 6:00 pm

Service Times

Monday, March 30Holy Week

7:30 am 6:00 pmDaily Eucharist Service Times

Tuesday, March 31Holy Week


Wednesday, April 1Holy Week


Thursday, April 2Maundy Thusday

7:30 pm Service Time

Friday, April 3Good Friday

12:00 pm 6:00 pmService Times

7:00 pm

Saturday, April 4Easter Vigil8:30 pm - 10:00 pmEaster Vigil Reception10:00 pm

Sunday, April 5Easter Day

7:30 am 9:15 am11:15 am 6:00 pm

Service Times

Monday, April 4Easter MondayChurch Office Closed

Confessional Times 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Holy Week & Eastertide

More information on these and other events can be found on the

Holy Innocents’ Website.

Anam Cara42


BishopsThe Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori,

Presiding BishopThe Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright,

Diocesan BishopThe Rt. Rev. Keith B. Whitmore,

Assistant Bishop The Rt. Rev. Don Wimberly,

Assistant Bishop

RectorThe Rev. Michael R. [email protected]

Carol Johns, [email protected] Assistant to the Rector

Clergy & Chaplains

The Rev. Lisa M. Zaina: [email protected]

VicarThe Rev. Buddy Crawford: [email protected]

Senior Associate Rector for Liturgy, Prayer and CommunityThe Rev. Joshua Case: [email protected]

Assistant to the Rector for Formation The Rev. Ned Mulligan: [email protected]

Head Chaplain & Upper School Chaplain The Rev. Wendy Porter-Cade: [email protected]

HIES Pre-School and Middle School Chaplain Timothy Sommer: [email protected]

Lower School Chaplain and HIEC Youth & Young Adults

Staff

David Brensinger: [email protected] Organist and Choir Master

Caroline Fleming: [email protected] Manager & Registrar

Wynn Henderson: [email protected] of Children’s Ministry

Suzanne Logue: [email protected] of Music for Young Children

Vanessa Lowry: [email protected] in Residence

Andre McIntosh: [email protected] Assistant & Graphic DesignerMelody McNeil: [email protected] Asst. for Pastoral Care & Hospitality

Andre Parker: [email protected] Manager

Rena Stallworth: [email protected] Assistant & Events Coordinator

Sally Suhr: [email protected] Assistant for Liturgy and Music

Susan West: [email protected] Organist

Vestry 2015

holy innocents’ staff

David Calhoun, Sr. WardenGreg Binney, Jr. WardenColin Kelly, Past Sr. WardenRick Shunnarah, TreasurerDebbie BrockJohnny FosterWill Kelly Elaine Morgan

Chris Protos Michael RheaRachel Shunnarah Marie ThomasAndy ToledoYouth Vestry:Susanne Sokolowski Jack Sullivan

Anam Cara44

Engage yourself in our Community online!

What is the City?

The City is a new way for HIEC members to communicate and engage in life beyond Sunday. It is an incredible way for the church to connect, share, and grow together in our very own online community. The City is our place for

everything Holy Innocents including communications about all events, registrations, and groups.

Why the City?

The City is critical to our ongoing growth and development as a parish of the 21st century. The City gives us an on-line home for parishioners to connect in the follow ways: view the church calendar and events, access member direc-

tory, online giving and statements, as well as make event reservations, all in real time.

How the City Helps?

The City is a powerful platform for making communication faster, easier and more effective. It creates a space for our church to connect with each other by sharing information, creating and maintaining connections in groups and sup-

porting each other in Our Place for Faith.

Join the City!

“Holy Innocents on the City” has launched! Join by emailing Caroline Fleming or look for an invitation in your email. All you need is an email address to create a login and password. See you in the City!


JouRnal

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JouRnal


Copyright © 2015 by Holy Innocent’ Episcopal Church All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means,

including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written per-mission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed

“Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

Holy Innocents’ Press805 Mount Vernon Hwy NW

Atlanta, GA 30327www.holyinnocents.org

Printed in the United States of America

Design By: Andre McIntoshPhotos by: Jon Michael Kownacki, Jessica Luce, Andre McIntosh

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